About this episode
In this engaging episode of Leader Chat, Jeff speaks with teacher educator and author of Culturally Responsive Teaching & The Brain, Zaretta Hammond. Jeff and Zaretta delve into the importance of culturally responsive teaching, productive struggle, and building strong teacher-student learning partnerships. Zaretta also discusses the integration of neuroscience with teaching practices and provides practical leadership strategies to support instructional equity.

Collaborative Classroom board member (2018–2023) Zaretta Hammond is a national education consultant and the author of the best-selling book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. She holds a Master’s in Education in English Education, with a concentration in Writing from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Ms. Hammond is a former high school and community college expository writing instructor. She has also served as adjunct instructor at St. Mary’s College School of Education in Moraga, California, where she taught The Foundations of Adolescent Literacy. As a consultant, she has advised and provided professional development to school districts and non-profit organizations across the country around issues of equity, literacy, and culturally responsive teaching for the past 25 years. She has been doing instructional design, school coaching, and professional development around the issues of equity, literacy, and culturally responsive teaching for the past 18 years.
About Leader Chat
Cognia Leader Chat connects education experts and leaders nationwide to tackle real-world leadership challenges and share practical solutions, helping break the isolation of school leadership and address today’s most pressing issues.